Radiator siphon



Deg. 4, 1951 A. A. JOHNSON RADIATOR SIPHON Filed Dec. 24, 1947 arwzm fo't AxelA.Jo/znsorz Patented Dec. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,571,014 RADIATQB SIPHON Axel A. Johnso n u Mich. Application December 24, 1 947; Serial No. 793,633

1. My-invention relates to an improved device par cu ar sef l rem ving iquid coolin medium. s... WfiJZQL. item the adia s f in combus on n ine as. w en it is d i ed to: repla e apa t of thesame w h a e e 801w" t o s Ord na il th s is acco s dby op i is: ma l et-coc whi h it s us a y dif icult t 'rea h. an allowing the cool n quid to drain from: h diator onto he round. On c day this s. a s wand unco f t e op at o wh n he: hands are cold. and t e p k is imzen r h rd. to release and: there av be frequent scaldings of the service, station attendants. Moreover, the draining of the water onto the surface of the service station area, creates a dangerous slipperysituation underfoot, particularly in freezing weather. Also, in the use of the pet-cock, there is no accurate way to regulate the amount of cooling medium withdrawn, and since frequently in the winter season, the coolant only requires replacement of one or two quarts of anti-freeze, the release of an excessive amount of water from the radiator will require not only its replacement but replacement of an unnecessary added amount of expensive antifreeze solution.

It is the object of my invention to eliminate the aforesaid difliculties by the use of a very 2 Claims. (01. egg-.204

simple and inexpensive device which will now be drawings where:

Figure 1 is a perspective view;

Figure 2 is a sectional view showing the bulb and tube connection, and

Figure 3 is a view illustrating the device in Figure 1 operatively associated with an automobile radiator.

Referring to Figure 1, the invention comprises a preferably elliptical-shaped bulb In of any suitable compressible material, such as vulcanized natural rubber or synthetic rubber which will not be attacked by the cooling medium such as water and the usual anti-freeze compositions. The bulb ID has a short, integral, tubular outlet portion II at one end, open to atmosphere, and at its other end has a similar tubular inlet portion I2 to which is connected a. flexible tube I3 of similar rubber material and of substantial length. The end I4 of the tube I3 may be inserted within the tubular portion I2 and held therein by cementing or by vulcanization to assure permanent communication between the tube 13 and the bulb but preferably an inner coupling sleeve I5 of rigid material such as copper tubing or plastic is used,

as shown in Figure 2, to interconnect the end; I4 and tubular portion I2, and to which sleeve. the rubber may be cemented or vulcanized. The sleeve being disposed within boththe inlet I2 and the tube a substantial distance, as: shown, will prevent sharp bending of the tube at the point of connection with the bulb. The tubular portions II and I2 have walls of greater'thickness than the wall of the tube I3 to provide relatively firm outlet and inlet portions on the elliptical-shaped bulb. A coil of wire I 6 is wound about the end of the tube I 3 adjacent the bulb, as shown, additional'ly to prevent sharp bending of the tube at its connectionwith the bulb and reinforce the conn tion w ereby the l t oi t d vi is staut all en a ed The coil te d f m the butt-joint of the tube IS with the outlet I2 to a point beyond the extent of the sleeve I 5 within the tube.

At its opposite or free end,the tube I3 is provided with a resilient retaining member I1. This member i1 is slidably and frictionally carried on the tube so that the extent of the entrance of the open end of the tube into the radiator may be adjusted. The retaining member is formed of a Single strand of resilient wire and has two diverging legs I8 which are centrally joined by the coil I9. The coil I9 frictionally receives the tube I3 in a manner to permit the member I! to be adjusted thereon and without at any time impeding flow through the tube.

In use, the operator removes the radiator cap, and inserts the free end 2| of the tube I3 into the radiator and inserts the spring retaining member I'I into the upper end or filler neck 22 of the radiator, as shown in Figure 3. The resilient legs I8 are compressed for insertion and upon being released within the radiator neck these resilient legs expand and firmly engage the radiator neck to hold the device in position with the portion 23* of the tube I3 immersed in the coolant. Thereupon, the operator places his finger over the opening 24 of the atmosphere outlet II of bulb l0 and I compresses the bulb. Upon releasing the bulb but still keeping the atmosphere outlet II closed, liquid will be withdrawn from the radiator through the tube I3 into the bulb I0 whereupon by removing the finger from the opening 24, the liquid will flow from the bulb through the outlet II in the desired amount. The amount of cooling liquid withdrawn may be generally estimated by the extent of the portion 23 disposed in the radiator, but preferably the flow from the bulb is collected in a vessel of known or marked capacity so that, for example, 1 quart, 2 quarts, 3 quarts, etc. may be accurately withdrawn without waste or producing a slippery road condition.

I claim:

1. For use in draining coolant from radia ors of internal combustion engines, a compressi le bulb having an outlet to atmosphere, a flexible tube of substantial length connected to the bulb, and a spring retaining member slidably carried on said tube and adapted when the free end of the tube is inserted in a radiator to engage the interior wall of the radiator filler neck and retain the free end of the tube in draining position, whereby an operator placing his finger over the outlet to atmosphere and first compressing and then decompressing said bulb will draw liquid into the bulb and by removing his finger alow continuous flow of liquid from the bulb through the outlet in the desired amount, said retaining member being formed from a single strand of wire and having a pair of outwardly diverging spring legs and an intermediate coil slidably and frictionally receiving said tube without impeding the flow of liquid through the tube.

2. For use in draining coolant from radiators of interna1 combustion engines, a compressible bulb having an outlet to atmosphere, an inlet, a flexible tube of substantial length connected to said inlet, and a spring retaining member slidably carried on said tube and adapted when the free end of the tube is inserted in a radiator to engage the interior wall of the radiator filler neck and retain the free end of the tube in draining position, whereby an operator placing his finger over the outlet to atmosphere and first compressing and then decompressing said bulb will draw liquid into the bulb and by removing his finger allow continuous flow of liquid from the bulb through the outlet in the desired amount, said inlet and said tube being connected by an inner coupling sleeve to which both the tube and the inlet are united, said retaining member being formed from a single strand of wire and having a pair of outwardly diverging spring legs and an intermediate coil slidably and frictionally receiving said tube without impeding the flow of liquid through the tube, and a coil of wire wound about the end of the tube adjacent the bulb to prevent sharp bending of the tube at its connection with the bulb and reinforce the connection.

AXEL A. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 58,316 Stearns Sept. 25, 1866 184,987 Skifi et al Dec. 5, 1876 215,488 Storrs, Jr May 20, 1879 641,079 Clayton et a1. Jan. 9, 1900 659,669 Haynes Oct, 16, 1900 933,490 Remhof Sept. 7, 1909 979,170 Koharn Dec. 20, 1910 1,240,532 Barrow et a1 Sept. 18, 1917 1,280,523 Morterud Oct. 1, 1918 1,439,031 Sterrick Dec. 19, 1922 2,253,474 Webber Aug. 19, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 531,842 Germans Aug. 15, 1931 

